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Mourinho braced for 10 Manchester United bids in January – report

30th November, 2016, 12:56 PM

By Alex Stevens

Manchester United are braced for bids for 10 of their senior players in the January transfer window, according to a report.

The Manchester Evening News claim that clubs from both the Premier League and across Europe are taking a close interest in fringe members of the United squad as they look to make additions when the winter window opens.

It is said that Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, Matteo Darmian, Marcos Rojo, Ashley Young and Sam Johnstone “are all expected to be the subject of interest”.

The one player United are looking to sell is Bastian Schweinsteiger, 32, even though the World Cup winner was back in the squad for the 1-1 draw against West Ham last Sunday.

Manager Jose Mourinho has a squad of 27 first-team players at his disposal, with many of them struggling for match time despite the club having League Cup and Europa League commitments in addition to their regular Premier League matches.

Nevertheless, the Portugese is unlikely sanction a major fire sale at the midway point of the season.

United host West Ham at Old Trafford in the League Cup on Wednesday night as they aim to secure a place in the semi-finals of the competition.

Football Insider verdict:

Mourinho not only took over an underperforming United squad in the summer but also a lopsided one. Nevertheless, it would be foolish for the Portugese to sanction a major overhaul in the January window, when high quality additions are so hard to source. If United are to continue to battle on all four fronts – they will clinch a place in the League Cup semi-finals if they triumph on Wednesday night- Mourinho will need to make full use of one of the Premier League’s biggest squads. Players like Schneiderlin, Young and Depay could prove invaluable as the fixtures come thick and fast, while it is impossible to see Mourinho doing anything other than laugh off interest in the likes of Blind, Fellaini and Martial. The latter trio may not be the first names on the teamsheet at the moment, but they are key squad players and will have big roles to play in the near future. Unless Mourinho can find a better player than he has got, he should batten down the transfer hatches.